A Break for the Wronged
by skyler1
Summary: This is a Homura fic (and my 1st one too). It continues where the anime ended. Hey, don't hate the guy. He was grievously wronged by the gods. He deserves a break. Do read and review. Thanks!


**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters. They're Minekura's, bless her soul ^_^

A Break for the Wronged 

Peace... Nothing seemed to matter to him anymore. All that mattered was that the tranquility he was experiencing at that moment. It didn't seem to matter that his only friends, the only two who understood and accepted him, had just died for him. He was after all, in a word, dead and would probably be joining them soon. Yes, after centuries of living a pitiful existence, the Fighting God Homura had finally escaped his wretched life of misery and gloom.

Safe… nothing could hurt him now. Not even the thought of… _Homura_. What was that? The image of a woman, hazy and undefined, came into his consciousness. Just as he was about to grasp a certain train of thought, it floated away, just beyond his reach. Ahh, that was the thing about being dead; thoughts were of no significance. _Homura._

Warm… it was a sensation long forgotten. Only briefly in his long life had he felt it. And he had lost it. Forever. Simply because he was born as he was. Itan. Heretic. No love for such creatures. Ahh but that thought floated away, too.

But not the sensation. The feeling of being held by someone, someone who would always hold you close, keep you safe and never let go. A name was trying to surface in his mind, but that too, was just out of reach. And then… a voice. _Homura._

And the memories came flooding back like a dam bursting. Memories of being locked up in a cage with unyielding metal bars from childhood to manhood, of wishing for the end, of being given freedom but never being really free, shackles adorning his wrists and of the cold and harsh world he was forced to live in. And they call it Heaven. But he knew better. 

He met her, and loved her as he had never been loved. And she loved him back with her entire being, willing to defy Heaven and the gods for him. For a while, it seemed like nothing could deter their happiness. For the first time in his life, he wanted nothing more than the opposite of the wish he had made since he was a child. He wanted to live. 

They had their own haven in Heaven. A meadow of flowers, eternal and undying, just like his love for her, just like her. But it was only a matter of time before things would end. Had he known it? He supposed he might have; their meetings were no secret to the celestials. They were both ostracized. But it mattered little to him; it was part of him. For her, it was quickly becoming second nature, so deep was their love. And then people started talking. And then it got bad. 

Tentei soon heard of the situation, and seeing it as a threat to His "perfect and unblemished" world, He ordered that the lovers be punished. For Homura, he was ready to bear any punishment. But as she was a pure celestial, surely she would be forgiven. He couldn't have been more wrong.

For daring to love a heretic and by doing so committing a taboo, she had befallen upon herself, the punishment of being sent to live out her life as a mortal in the world below.

Begged for her he did, for he had nothing to lose except everything. Even his offer to trade places was denied. Oh no, Heaven had something else in store for him. Something befitting his birth.

He was bestowed the title Fighting God after Nataku fell into a catatonic state. But it was just a title, Heaven's way of justifying the killings they ordered for any who posed a threat to their peace. It was a job they deemed befitting of him, because he was as dirty as his deeds.

It was also Heaven's way of keeping him busy enough to distract him from seeking out his lover. Oh they knew he would find her one day, but by then it would be too late and she would be dead. Mortals had really short life spans compared to celestials. Let her suffer for her sin and the shame she brought upon Heaven. In the end, she died for him. Because of him. Without him. And he was dying a little himself, day after insufferable day. Until he got it into his head one day to die all at once and be free of his perpetual torment.

That was why he had created his own world. It was the only place he wanted to die in. He had lived his life in hell, was it too much to ask that he die in heaven? For his purpose, he had had to seek out the four souls he had once envied in Heaven, four souls that were forever bound together by the threads of Fate and the wheels of Destiny. Konzen Douji, Tenpo Gensui, Kenren Taisho, Son Goku. Genjo Sanzo, Cho Hakkai, Sha Gojyo, Son Goku. Goku was the key. Goku was the key to the new world, to his death, to his freedom, to her. 

Why was he remembering all this when he was supposed to be dead? Was he so loathsome an existence that even in death he was to be denied the solace he had sorely yearned for? And then, for a fleeting instant, an absolutely terrifying thought. _What if he was to be denied death?_

For he could feel himself returning to consciousness. He was aware of a certain numbness in his chest, where Goku's nyoibou had pierced it. He could feel himself waking up, returning from wherever it was his soul was heading to. He waited for the pain from his last fight and his illness to come. But it never did.

Instead, he felt warm hands gently shaking his shoulders. No. This couldn't be. He didn't die. Everything was a dream. Freedom had eluded him once again. It was probably Shien trying to wake him up. But he couldn't, wouldn't wake up. No, no, no. It had seemed so real. The fight. His death. The peace and tranquility he had felt momentarily. Every fiber of his being screamed in protest. I will not wake up, I will not wake up, the dream will not desert me!

But the dream was escaping like water from cupped hands, and these hands were persistent, yet gentle. He squeezed his eyes shut, bitterly willing the person to go away. He wanted to go to her, and the way to her was death. He had heard her. She was calling him…

"Homura." Rinrei…

Homura's eyes flew open. Rinrei. She was there, exactly as he remembered her. Words failed him. Was he still dreaming?

"It's not a dream." She was smiling. Her smile was kind. "I've come to take you away with me. To a place we've always dreamed of. A place where all the grief we've felt will disappear and the only thing that matters is us being together. Forever."

He could feel his cheeks getting wet. It was too cruel a joke, even for Heaven. As if he wasn't wretched enough, they had to mess with his head. "Leave me alone," he choked. "Be gone and leave me alone."

"But you've always been alone. You don't have to be. Not anymore." And then she held out her hand to him. "Will you come with me?" 

He looked around. It looked like the world he had created, only it showed no signs of its impending destruction. It looked as it did when it was just created. "Afraid you'll miss this place? Don't worry; where we're going, this place can't even compare to it." And still she held out her hand. "Will you?"

He looked into her eyes. In them, he saw promise, he saw peace, he saw comfort, but most of all, he saw love. Love that he had missed, and yearned for since the day they parted. Joke or no joke, he would follow her to the end of the world, to whatever plane of existence, just to be with her. His mind was made up. He will not lose her again.

He took her hand. And they were suddenly engulfed in a warm glow, and knowledge was blessed upon him. This was Rinrei, real and unburdened by the sorrow of their past. They were together again. And this time, it was forever. He could feel the grief and misery that had plagued him for eternity start to dissolve, to be replaced with a feeling of peace and bliss. As he came to the realization that he was finally free, they were enveloped in a white light and were carried to a place where nothing could hurt them. Not even gods.

*** *** *** *** ***

Somewhere in the distance in Homura's new world, the Goddess of Mercy watches as the two lovers are transported to a real heaven, a paradise unsullied by bigotry and taboos.

"It's time someone got a break," she utters to no one in particular, a smile forming on her lips. "Now lets see what my dear nephew is up to." And then she too vanishes.

**Author's notes:**

This is my first ever fic! So be gentle, and let me know what you think, okay? I wrote this fic after watching the last episode of Gensomade Saiyuki. It's really sad, 'cos Homura's really not a bad guy. The ones who started the whole mess were the upper levels and particularly,  in my opinion Li Touten and Tentei. Another reason is I don't see many Homura-related fics. Even if I do, he's mostly portrayed as an evil, villain type. And we all know better, right? I think this fic lacks feeling. And it's probably not descriptive enough. But let me know anyway. Thanks for reading! 


End file.
